The present invention relates to vehicle parking, and specifically to cash less parking and automatic parking toll collection.
There are numerous systems used today for controlling and charging for parking.
Examples of parking control systems include parking meters adjacent parking bays requiring the insertion of coins as payment for specific parking periods, and centralized parking machines in which money is inserted and a ticket printed out by the parking machine for the period of time paid for. Alternatively, preprinted tickets or parking cards can be bought which the driver uses to indicate the date and time parking commenced or the parking period. These cards are usually displayed in the car window so that it can be seen by a parking inspector. Such tickets are usually limited for a specific number of minutes, such as 60 minutes. In certain locations, it may also be possible to use several tickets to park for a longer period.
Off-street parking generally requires payment to be made on entry or exit of a parking lot, either automatically monitored or manually supervised. Generally, off-street parking in private parking lots is supervised.
One of the main problems associated with paid parking is the abuse of the various systems by avoiding payment either by non-payment of parking for a longer period of time than paid for, thereby depriving the municipal authority responsible for town parking from revenue. One common system for monitoring parking is to use inspectors who are authorized to issue parking tickets or fines for non-compliance with parking regulations and other abuses of the system. The use of inspectors is expensive and though parking fines may be issued, there is no guarantee that they will be paid, thus requiring additional resources for collection of the fines.
The use of meters has a number of disadvantages. They are costly to manufacture and require installation into the pavement next to each parking space. They break down, can be broken into and the money accumulated stolen. Moreover it needs a special expensive and in some locations it is also dangerous to collect cash from each meter and carry it all over the city. From the driver""s point of view, the main disadvantage of the parking meter is that he needs to have small change and if he leaves the parking space before the end of the time paid for, he has overpaid for the actual time used. On the other hand, if he is late returning to his car, he is endanger of being fined.
The centralized parking machine has the advantage of saving multiple meters, by using one parking machine for one parking lot. However, it also suffers from the other disadvantages of the individual parking meter, such as being vulnerable to break in. As in the case of parking meters, there is also the problem of under or over-paying.
The preprinted parking tickets is no doubt the least costly to the proprietor of the parking lots, mostly municipal authorities, as it does not need any expensive construction work. As in the other systems described above, there is also the problem of under or over-paying.
The proprietor of the parking lot, requiring the car owner to voluntarily purchase a ticket, can lose money in cases where drivers park and take the risk of getting a ticket and do not pay the parking toll.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for vehicle parking charges which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior art systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system which is automatic and accurately records the exact time parked and charges accordingly.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mobile parking unit and a parking system which includes a plurality of mobile parking units, each of the mobile parking units having an unique identification for installation in a vehicle and a parking control center for communicating with each of the mobile parking units. Each of the mobile parking units checks its location whenever the vehicle is not moving and if the location coincides with a known parking area, a charge for parking is activated until the vehicle resumes traveling.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the mobile parking units includes a vehicle location device for determining the geographic location and speed of each of the mobile parking unit, a transceiver connected to a modem, for communicating with the mobile parking units and a computer unit for coupling to the vehicle location device and the transceiver.
In an alternative embodiment, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the mobile parking units includes a vehicle location device for determining the geographic location and speed of each of the mobile parking units, a computer unit for coupling to the vehicle location device and a smart card reader coupled to the central processor.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer unit includes a central processor and a smart card reader coupled to the central processor.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the mobile parking units includes an electronic map database containing at least the geographic location of parking spaces in at least one specific region of operation, a Geographic Information System (GIS) interpreter for interpreting the data within the electronic map database and means for calculating the cost of parking. The electronic map database contains data associated with each of the parking spaces.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cost of parking is determined by the calculating means in accordance with the geographic location of each of the mobile parking units and the time it is immobile.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the mobile parking units further includes input and output channels connected to at least one of a group of control elements including the vehicle ignition switch, the vehicle doors and volume (space) sensor. In addition, each of the mobile parking units further includes an indication unit for displaying an indication that parking is being charged for. The mobile parking unit includes a non-volatile memory unit for storing a prepaid monetary value for parking.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle location device includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver having an antenna coupled thereto.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer unit further includes input/output (I/O) channels coupled to the central processor, the input/output (I/O) channels having at least one sensing elements connected thereto. The sensing elements comprise at least one of a group of sensors connected to the vehicle ignition switch, the vehicle doors and the internal volume of the vehicle.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control center includes a control computer and a transceiver coupled to a modem, which is coupled to the control computer.
In addition, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control center further includes an electronic map database containing at least the geographic location of parking spaces in at least one specific region of operation, a Geographic Information System (GIS) interpreter for interpreting the data within the electronic map database and a means for calculating the cost of parking.
Additionally, there is provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for charging for vehicle parking which includes the steps of:
recording the time and location whenever the vehicle is immobile; and
if the location coincides with a known parking area, calculating the parking charges for the total period of time the vehicle remains immobile.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes the step of displaying an indication that parking is being charged for. The method also includes the step of identifying the geographic location and speed of the vehicle.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes the step of using a vehicle location device installed in the vehicle for determining the geographic location and speed of each of the vehicles.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of recording the time of the vehicle""s immobility further includes at least one of the steps of:
recording the time the vehicle""s ignition is switched off;
recording the time the vehicle""s doors are opened and closed; and
recording the time the volume within the vehicle is disturbed.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of calculating includes the step of:
comparing the geographic location with an electronic map database containing the location of parking spaces in the region of operation; and
calculating the cost of parking for the geographic location according to the cost of parking per unit of the immobile time for the parking space.
The calculating step is performed by the mobile parking unit. The calculating step further includes the step of the mobile parking unit communicating the calculated charges to a remote control center. Alternatively, the calculating step further includes the step of the mobile parking unit communicating the location of the vehicle to the remote control center.
In another alternative embodiment, the calculating step further includes the steps of:
the mobile parking unit communicating the parking time and the location of the vehicle to the remote control center charges; and
the remote control center calculates the parking charges.
In another alternative embodiment, the calculating step further includes the steps of:
the mobile parking unit communicating the parking time to the control center; and
the control center comparing the geographic location with an electronic map database containing the location of parking spaces in the region of operation; and
the control center calculating the cost of parking for the geographic location according to the cost of parking per unit of the immobile time for the parking space.
The remote control center bills the vehicle owner for the calculated parking charges.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the step of the control center transmitting the prepaid monetary value to the non-volatile memory unit of the mobile parking unit.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile parking unit includes a card reader and a keyboard and includes the step of the vehicle owner using a credit or debit card in the card reader and entering the prepaid monetary value to be entered into the non-volatile memory unit by means of the keyboard.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes the step of transferring the electronic map database to the mobile parking unit by any of a group of removable media including floppy disk, a PCMCIA card, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Alternatively, the control center transmitting the electronic map database to the mobile parking unit.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmission includes the step of the vehicle user requesting the transmission or the mobile parking unit requests the transmission whenever the vehicle is immobile and is located within a region for which a map database is not stored.